Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 416 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
6. 6.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
12. 12.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
24. 24.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
25. 25.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
27. 27.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
33. 33.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets

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